Christopher Ryan “Chris” Hartzler, 49, of Ainsworth, Iowa, passed away after a 10 month battle with brain cancer on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at his residence surrounded by his family.
Celebration of life services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at the Ainsworth Elementary Gym with services conducted by Pastor Jason Collier. Visiting hours will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home in Washington where the family will be present to receive friends from 4-8 Friday evening. Interment will take place at the Oregon Township Cemetery in Ainsworth. Memorials have been established for an educational fund for Chris’s children. Online condolences may be sent for Chris’s family at www.jonesfh.com.
Chris was born May 8, 1975, in Goshen, Indiana. He was the son of Don and Linda (Yoder) Hartzler. Chris graduated from Iowa Mennonite School (IMS) in 1993, and attended Iowa Wesleyan College and Kirkwood Community College. He was united in marriage to Molly Rees on Dec. 27, 2003.
He grew up near Kalona, and lived in the Iowa City area before moving to the Ainsworth Community. Chris was a member of the Ainsworth Community Church and was strong in his faith.
He was an avid sports fan. He loved the Hawkeyes and Cardinals. He was extremely competitive. He enjoyed participating in sports activities and watching and coaching his kids’ various activities.
Chris had many talents. He was handy and could do anything he put his mind to. He enjoyed the outdoors, gardening, canning, and preparing “specialty foods.”
Chris had a gift of building relationships and was a great conversationalist. He was a great friend to many. He was always ready to lend a helping hand and always the life of the party. One of his many gifts was that of working with and coaching kids, making everyone feel important and bringing out the best in them. He was a wonderful father and devoted husband.
He is survived by his wife: Molly Hartzler; four children: Kate, Jacob, Noah and Hannah all of Ainsworth; father: Don Hartzler and wife Sue of Iowa City; sister: Jocelyn (Nate) Sadler of Atkins; brother: Jon (Maggie) Hartzler of Mt. Vernon; sister: Betsy (Matt) Holub of Johnston, Iowa; brother: Dan (Emily) Hartzler of Iowa City, Iowa; sister, Ali (Jon) Galbraith of Atkins, Iowa; father and mother-in-law: Myron and Janet Rees of Ainsworth; brother-in-law: Joe Rees of Sand Coulee, Montana; brother-in-law: Adam Rees (Rachel) of Iowa City; sister-in-law: Maggie (Schylor) Altenhofen of Kalona; and 18 nieces and nephews.
Chris was preceded in death by his mother: Linda Hartzler in 2016; maternal grandparents: Don and Ruth Yoder; and paternal grandparents: Ron and Anna Mae Hartzler.
